


The Problem With Convincing Cover-Up Girls

by spideysrogers



Category: Marvel
Genre: 1940s, 40s stucky, M/M, brookyln babies are pining again, insecure stevie but a happy ending because i’m a wet wipe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:42:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23704066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spideysrogers/pseuds/spideysrogers
Summary: Stevie is a really bad liar and Bucky is clearly a much better liar than he thought.—some 40!s stevebucky pining
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 1
Kudos: 58





	The Problem With Convincing Cover-Up Girls

**Author's Note:**

> endgame screwed my boys over so, naturally, here we are

Steve Rogers has grown to hate bars. When he was younger and he and Bucky had first got their own place in Brooklyn, the two of them had spent all of their time in the local bars, getting to know pretty dames (if they’d even look Steve’s way) and drinking themselves blind. In fact, Steve has lost count of how many times Bucky has had to carry him home because the alcohol has double the effect on his skinny body that it does on his friend. Nowadays, they still spend most nights out in bars, but Steve hardly appreciates it as much as he used to. It feels like he’s wasting the little money he makes on crap beer, all to watch his best friend take home another pretty woman and hook up with her in their shared bedroom. 

It didn’t used to bother him - Bucky’s consistent luck with the ladies - but over the past year or so he’s felt his stomach grow sick as he watches them whisper in his ear, him smile up at where they’re perched on his lap before stating, “We’re gonna head out, Stevie. You’ll be alright getting back on your own?” and Steve’s always nodded, smiled, because it’s what he’s supposed to do. He hates the way these dames look at his best friend; like he’s a fresh piece of meat. It knocks him sick, the way they slobber over him, and he still can’t place his finger on why.

The lady that Bucky has brought over to their table tonight is tall, pale and with the most gorgeous strawberry-blonde hair. She mentioned something about hospitals -  _ a nurse, maybe? A midwife? _ Steve hasn’t been listening, if he’s honest. Whatever she’s been saying, Bucky thinks it’s hilarious (or is at least trying to convince her he does) and Steve’s been reminded of how his laugh is just _ infectious. _

But now he’s in the bathroom, splashing water over his face and attempting to sort out the embarrassment in his pants because he’s not sure how the _ hell _ that happened but it’s hardly appropriate right now.  _ What the hell is wrong with him? _

Sometimes Steve prefers Bucky before all of this - before the war and the bars and their apartment. He prefers when they were teenagers, hiding out at the dump near his house ready for the absolutely _ livid _ look on his mother’s face when he turns up home filthy again.

_ “You kissed a girl?” Steve gasps, looking up, wide-eyed, at his best friend. “Buck, that’s awesome! Was it good?” _

_ “I don’t know, pal.” Steve’s never quite deciphered that look on his best friend’s face after he told him about his first kiss. Disappointed, he thinks, or somewhat guilty? “It was okay, I guess.” _

_ “You guess? Bucky, the girls at school don’t even know I exist; they’re all over you! In love with you, probably-” _

_ “Woah, slow down there, bud,” Bucky chuckles, “They’re not in love with me. They don't even know me.” He smiles at Steve, but there’s something unreadable in his eyes, “Not like you do.” _

_ Steve shifts, scratches his neck, “Look, Buck, you have the opportunity to be with whichever and however many girls you want. Why don’t you just take it?” _

_ Bucky nods. His smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah, sure.” _

Steve preferred when kissing girls was new to Bucky. Now, years later, he’s followed his advice and seems to have made a habit of it. Steve’s somewhat… jealous? Of the girls, not Bucky. He knows it’s stupid. It’s silly to be jealous of them for spending time with his best friend. Right?

When he returns to the table, Bucky is looking at him strangely and Steve realises how long he must have been in the bathroom for. 

He furrows his eyebrows, “You okay, buddy?” Steve simply nods.

He tries to partake in conversation, he really does - nods along every few sentences to try and convince them he’s listening - but, after a while of watching him carefully, Bucky announces to the dame next to him that he’s very sorry but they have to go. 

Steve follows his friend out of the bar in silence and the walk home is just as sombre. This has happened a few times now: Steve has spent the entire night moping and so Bucky has left another pretty lady to take him home and apologise, to which Steve returns his well-rehearsed response of “it’s fine”. 

This time, though, Bucky misses the turn for their apartment, opting to continue straight on, “We’re not going home, Steve.” Steve doesn’t question it.

When they stop by the dump near where he and his mother used to live, Steve raises an eyebrow, “What’re we doing, Buck?”

Bucky simply plonks himself down on the heap of rubble, “We’re sitting.”

Steve hardly thinks it’s a good idea when he’s wearing a beige coat - his only coat, in fact, so he can’t afford to ruin it. “Bucky-”

_ “Sit, Steven.” _ He doesn’t try to argue back again. 

Steve sits down next to him in a huff, arms wrapping around his knees because the breeze is picking up but, of course, Bucky doesn’t even feel the chill. 

He does,however, feel the tension radiating from his best friend. “What’s going on with you, Stevie.”

“I don’t-”

“I’m  _ serious _ . That’s the second time this week you’ve spent all night giving me that _ look. _ ”

Steve’s got that crease in his eyebrows again, “What _ look _ ?”

“The same  _ look _ that dame was giving me last week when I was chatting up her friend.” Steve doesn’t answer - doesn’t want to embarrass himself. “Steve,” Bucky almost whispers, hand touching his thin wrist, “You know I hate it when you’re unhappy.”

Steve’s not a  _ complete _ idiot. Of  _ course _ he knows what his feelings mean.  _ How the hell does he tell his best friend?  _ “I just… I see all these  _ gorgeous _ women you’re bringing home, Buck, and I see how they look and how you are with them and I just- I feel like  _ I’m not good enough, _ or something.”

Bucky narrows his eyes, almost as if he doesn’t quite believe him, “What are you talking about?”

Steve can’t even look him in the eye. He feels like a laughing stock but Bucky’s just staring at him intently almost like he’s waiting for him to say it. “You- You’re not just my best pal, okay? I, uh, I see you with them and I feel all sick and I just want them to stop and-”

And then Bucky’s kissing him. It’s funny. Steve’s never been sure if he wanted this; struggled between wanting Bucky to choose him over those pretty dames and wanted these feelings for his best friend to shrivel up and disappear because it’s  _ weird. _ But, now Bucky’s lips are pressed against his - still and closed and soft and  _ Bucky _ \- all doubts he had are automatically gone. How can anything this beautiful be weird?

Steve can’t even speak when Bucky separates their lips, moves his hand from Steve’s neck down his arm. He chuckles at his loss for words, “You’re an idiot, Steven Grant Rogers.” He sighs, smiles, “But no dame is ever gonna match up to you. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to realise I can’t hide that.”

Steve’s gaping like an idiot, he’s sure he’s close to an asthma attack, too. “I-I’m in love with you, Buck.”

He snorts, “Yeah, I know, Stevie. You’re hardly good at covering things up.” His smile warms slightly, “I love you, too.”

Blush covering his cheeks, Steve can’t stop the grin reaching his eyes. He presses a quick kiss to Bucky’s cheek before hiding his face in his coat sleeve. 

Bucky can’t help his own grin.  _ Thank God he doesn’t have to pretend to like those women anymore. _


End file.
